Utah Jazz sign point guard Ronnie Price to a new deal

Ronnie Price hasn't wasted time this summer worrying about whether he'd return to play a third NBA season in his adopted home state. He didn't even lose sleep when the Jazz drafted a point guard in June.

Turns out, he was better off spending time with family and golfing than fretting anyway.

On Tuesday, the Jazz announced that they've re-signed the athletic Utah Valley University product and unrestricted free agent. The length and monetary value of the contract were not disclosed as per Jazz policy.

It was somewhat of a told-you-so moment for Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who said Price would be one of the team's three point guards for 2009-10 a day after Utah drafted Virginia Commonwealth playmaker Eric Maynor in the first round last month.

Price wasn't available for comment Tuesday but recently said he hoped to stay with Utah.

"Of course, I want to be here," Price said at a recent autograph signing session. "I'm not a guy who likes to jump around the NBA much."

As Sloan alluded to, bringing Price back was an offseason priority for the Jazz. The four-year NBA veteran — who played two years in Sacramento after going undrafted out of UVU — admitted to being unsatisfied with his play last year, when he averaged 4.0 points and 2.1 assists while sharing backup duties with Brevin Knight. But the Jazz like how he filled in for Deron Williams early on, and Sloan lauded his energetic play in Game 5 against the Lakers and even second-guessed not using Price more during the year.

"Keeping Ronnie on our roster was important to us," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said in a statement released by the team.

Price, the only Jazz player to ever wear No. 17, has averaged 3.8 points, 1.6 assists and 11.7 minutes in 113 games with Utah since 2007.

"Ronnie Price is the consummate professional," Jazz president Randy Rigby said in the release. "He is always prepared when coach Sloan calls on him and we are looking forward to his energy and toughness next season."

JAZZ, LEE TALK: The agent for New York Knicks forward David Lee, Chicago-based Mark Bartelstein, acknowledged Tuesday that he's spoken with the Jazz regarding the restricted free agent.

But he said "nothing is imminent" when it comes to Utah and Lee.

"Kevin (O'Connor) and I talk about a lot of things all the time, and in the course of those conversations, we had talked about David," Bartelstein said. "I know they like David as a player, but everyone does."